FIG. 1 illustrates an air intake structure of the prior art, with electric de-icing.
As known in itself, such an air intake structure 1 includes an outer panel 3, i.e. situated at the outer periphery of the nacelle, as well as an air intake lip 5, forming the leading edge of the nacelle, and situated in the extension of an annular inner part 7, often designated by the term “shroud,” this shroud also being able to have sound absorption properties.
An internal partition 9 makes it possible to strengthen the air intake structure.
With the aim of reducing sound emissions from the nacelle, the air intake lip 5 is traditionally equipped with a sound attenuation panel P, having a honeycomb structure, the lip 5 being provided with perforations 6.
The inner partition 9 is typically riveted on one hand on the inner skin of the monolithic portion 11 of the panel P, and on the other hand on the inner skin 13 of a connecting member 15 also having a honeycomb structure, this honeycomb structure as well as the ends 17a, 17b of the inner skin 13 being fastened by adhesion to the inside of the outer skin 3.
The use of such an intermediate connecting member 15 makes it possible to prevent the connecting rivets of the partition 9 from protruding towards the outside of the outer panel 3, and thus do not disrupt the aerodynamic performance of the air intake structure.
An electric de-icing means, known in itself, is integrated into the air intake lip 5.
The connecting member 15, the honeycomb structure of which is generally metal, has a weight that is important to be able to reduce.
Moreover, if one wishes to use a pneumatic de-icing instead of the electric de-icing, the temperatures inside the compartment 19 delimited by the partition 9 are high: typically in the vicinity of 400° C.
At these temperatures, the fastening glue of the connecting member 15 does not stand up, which poses a problem for the resistance of the make-up of the structure.